PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard says deputies got the call at 1:37 Thursday morning. When they arrived at the GM Assembly Plant in Orion Township they found Gregory Lanier Robertson, 49, unconscious and bleeding. The Pontiac man had been hit with what investigators call a “blunt object.”
RELATED: Man arrested after fatal assault at GM Orion Assembly Plant, police say
They performed CPR, but could not revive him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 48-year-old man investigators say is his suspected killer stood not far from Robertson’s body, in a dock area of the plant. They arrested him and shut down work at the assembly plant turned crime scene. He might be arraigned as soon as Friday, investigators say.
“We know it was a disagreement between the two, potentially surrounding money,” said Sheriff Michael Bouchard, Oakland County.
“I heard that Greg owed him $20 or something like that,” said Collette Robertson, Robertson’s wife.
Collette Robertson is trying to piece together how it could come to this as she grieves. She says a witness told her, her husband told his co-worker he didn’t have the $20 and the co-worker became enraged.
“It doesn’t matter if it is $500. This is what we are coming to? It is crazy to me,” she said.
An old neighbor of the Robertson’s says Robertson not only would have made good on the small debt, but gave generously.
“I have five kids. So he would give us extra food if he had it. He was just a good-hearted person,” said Evan Lanier.
Robertson served time in prison in the past, but told his neighbor he was dedicated to building a better life with honest work, cleaning at General Motors.
“He had just gotten a house and was excited about good things happening. I am sad this happened,” said Lanier.
“He loved me unconditionally that is for sure. And same for me. I don’t know what I am going to do without him,” said Robertson.
She says Robertson worked the job overnight at for the past seven months. He liked the shift because it allowed him to spend time with her grandchildren.
“Putting up tents with them. Fishing with them,” said Collette Robertson. “That’s been his life. My granddaughters.”
She says afund has been set up to raise money to give him a proper goodbye.
